If a proposal to lower Galway city’s speed limit to 30km/h was brought forward, it would have the backing of Garda Chief Superintendent Tom Curley.
Chief Superintendent Curley made his declaration at Galway city’s JPC meeting on Monday when responding to questions over a city wide speed limit of 30km/h by Social Democrats councillor Owen Hanley and chairperson of the committee, Cllr Níall McNelis.
Chief Superintendent Curley said; “With regards to a 30km/h speed limit [for Galway city] I would be absolutely delighted if that was implemented in the city. I would be delighted to support that initiative.”
His remarks come after Galway Cycling Campaign hosted a public meeting last week about the benefits of lower speed limits which was addressed by Prof Kevin Leyden of NUI Galway, Maria Delaney of Noteworthy, and Mairéad Forsythe of Love 30.
Galway Cycling Campaign welcomed the support for a 30km/h citywide speed limit from Chief Superintendent Tom Curley, saying a lower speed limit would gave parents peace of mind as children walk and cycle to school.
Spokesperson for the group Martina Callanan said; “Lower city speed limits are becoming more common in European cities such as Athens, Milan and Brussels. This will give parents peace of mind to bring small children into the city centre to shop and dine, when children play and cycle outside their homes, and as children and teenagers walk and cycle to school.”
Kevin Jennings, chairperson of the Galway Cycling Campaign, said that scientific models have proven that slower speed limits actually improve traffic flow.
He said; “The typical road speed limit of 50km/h does not feel fast if you are behind a windscreen. The research is stark: speed is the biggest contributing factor to road deaths in Ireland. If a person walking is hit by a person driving a car at 50km/h, there is a 50 per cent chance that person will die. At 60km/h - that’s only 10 km faster - 9 in 10 pedestrians will die.
“Slower speed limits have an added benefit of improving traffic flow. Scientific models show motor traffic flowing more steadily at lower speeds in congested networks.”
Mairéad Forsythe of Love 30, Ireland’s campaign for lower speed limits, said; “Introducing a 30 km/h speed limit would be a significant achievement for road safety in Galway. It will make our roads safer for people walking, cycling and driving. Most important of all, slower streets make our neighbourhoods more pleasant places to live, work and for children to play.”
The JPC members were also informed that 1,773 speeding offences had been recorded for 2020, an increase of 47 per cent from the same period last year.
